Karting or kart racing is a popular open-wheeled motor sport with simple, small four wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. Karts vary widely in speed and can reach speeds exceeding 160 miles per hour, while karts intended for the general public may be limited to speeds of no more than 15 miles per hour. 2-stroke or 4-stroke engines are typically used to power karts. However, a number of karts are powered by electric motors including DC electric motors.
Karts are typically rear wheel drive and are steered using the front wheels of the kart. Karts generally lack suspension so that the chassis of the Kart absorbs much of the vibration experienced during motion. The Kart chassis is designed to be flexible enough to work as a suspension and stiff enough not to break or give way during a turn. The chassis is commonly constructed from hollow tubes. For stability the driver of a kart is typically seated as low to the ground as possible. Lowering the height of the combined center of mass of the driver and kart reduces the likelihood that the kart will roll during a high speed maneuver.
Karts typically do not have a differential. The lack of a differential means that one rear tire must slide while cornering. Sliding can be achieved by designing the chassis so that the inside rear tire lifts up slightly when the kart turns the corner. This allows the tire to lose some of its grip and slide or lift off the ground completely.
Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motor sport where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while preserving vehicle control and a high exit speed. A vehicle is said to be drifting when the rear slip angle is greater than the front slip angle prior to the corner apex, and the front wheels are pointing in the opposite direction to the turn, and the driver is controlling those factors. Techniques for inducing drift include a hand brake drift. During a hand brake drift, the hand brake lever is used to stop the rear wheels, upsetting their grip and causing them to drift.
Drifting has become a competitive sport where drivers compete in rear wheel drive cars, and occasionally all wheel drive cars, to earn points from judges based on various factors including line, angle, speed and show factor. Line involves taking the correct line, which is usually announced beforehand by judges. The show factor is based on multiple things, such as the amount of smoke, how close the car is to the wall, and the crowd's reaction. Angle is the angle of a car in a drift, speed is the speed entering a turn, the speed through a turn, and the speed exiting the turn. Drift cars are typically light to moderate weight rear wheel drive coupes and sedans ranging from 200-1000 bhp. In almost all instances, drift cars include a mechanical limited slip differential.